Insurance, economic development on agenda for special council meeting

The Hillsboro City Council will meet Wednesday in a special session to consider insurance bids and to establish a fund to be used for economic development. 

The following items will be on the agenda: 

* City’s liability insurance bids.

* Increase in appropriations in the 207 Fund and establishing an Economic Development Department within the 207 Fund.

* Transfer from the 509 Fund to the General Fund.

Hillsboro Auditor Gary Lewis said that the establishment of the Economic Development Department is not a physical office, but rather a financial organizational move that will allow the city to use funds toward development. 

"There's a certain percentage of the monies we can charge back to our sewer improvement project, and those monies primarily are going back into the general fund," Lewis said.

"Those monies can come out and be used for other purposes in order to stimulate growth and that sort of thing. It's to create an Economic Development Department within the revolving loan fund, and that's all. That doesn't mean there's another bureaucratic office."

Lewis said the 509 fund is the sewer improvement fund, and the transfer is needed in concert with the establishment of the development department. 

Council will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday in council chambers at the Hillsboro fire station. Council's finance committee will meet prior to the meeting at 5 p.m. in council chambers.